Saving Seafood

MASSACHUSETTS: The future of fish is frozen: How the seafood industry is adapting to COVID-19

May 18, 2020 — Jared Auerbach first saw the effects of the coronavirus pandemic in early January, when seafood orders from Boston’s Chinatown — and Chinatowns across the country — slowly stopped coming in.

At first, the founder of Red’s Best, a Boston-based seafood distributor, wasn’t too worried.

“The second week of March, we were down about 20 percent,” he said. “Things were starting to get a little weird. We got through the weekend and I lost some sleep over the weekend, but I felt good.”

On March 17, restaurants in Mass. were ordered to shutdown, and Auerbach, who founded Red’s Best in 2008, saw his business fall out from under him as he made the difficult decision to furlough the vast majority of his staff. For someone who spent years intently focused on balancing the supply of the sea with the demand of the public — many of them restaurant chefs — he now wondered: “What’s our contingency plan?”

Read the full story at Boston.com

COVID-19: Trump Administration Takes Actions to Assist U.S. Fishing Industry

May 18, 2020 — The Trump administration recently announced two major actions to assist the U.S. commercial fishing industry. President Trump’s Executive Order on Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth[1] (Order) aims to increase seafood production by streamlining regulatory permitting processes and reducing burdens on the fishing industry.

In a separate action, the Secretary of Commerce detailed how $300M in CARES Act[2] funding intended to address impacts to the seafood industry caused by COVID-19 will be distributed.

This alert outlines the impacts of the Order on U.S. fishing, as well as describes the initial details for distribution of CARES Act funds to fishing businesses.

Impacts of the Executive Order on U.S. Fishing

While the Order focuses mainly on aquaculture, it also contains several provisions aimed at assisting the U.S. fishing industry. However, important details remain to be worked out, and it is unclear how quickly the fishing industry will see benefits.

Read the full story at The National Law Review

New Jersey commercial fishing operations counting on relief funds to stay in business

May 15, 2020 — The Garden State Seafood Association is hoping the $11 million recently allocated to New Jersey’s seafood industry as part of the coronavirus stimulus law will prepare it for reopening.

“The money should go to those businesses that have a proven negative impact from the COVID pandemic and should be used to help keep as many fishing businesses in operation as possible,” Scot Mackey, the Garden State Seafood Association (GSSA) Government Affairs director based in Trenton, told The Center Square.

Mackey said he hopes the funds can be distributed to impacted businesses soon, especially to commercial docks.

Read the full story at The Center Square

Luria demands $10 million in funding to support Virginia fisheries

May 14, 2020 — On Wednesday, Congresswoman Elaine Luria released a letter written to Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross outlining the need for nearly $10 million in relief for Virginia’s fisheries and complete transparency with NOAA’s recent funding distribution.

The CARES Act, Section 12005 directs the Department of Commerce to distribute $300 million to the seafood and fishery industry businesses that have been negatively impacted by the pandemic.

NOAA released its plan last week for distributing these funds throughout each state, of which $4,520,475 is slated to go to Virginia fisheries, which is about 1.5% of the total allocation.

“It is unacceptable that NOAA’s allocation decision does not reflect the dramatic losses Virginia watermen have faced as a result of this pandemic and does not accurately calculate the contribution of Virginia’s fisheries industries to the national seafood industry,” said Luria. “I urge NOAA to immediately revise its allocation formula to provide Virginia at least $10 million in CARES Act fisheries funding.”

Read the full story at WAVY

CARES Act provides more than $5M for North Carolina commercial fishing industry

May 14, 2020 — Commercial fishermen in North Carolina will receive more than $5 million in federal financial assistance through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued an announcement last week, saying the U.S. Secretary of Commerce announced the allocation of $300 million in fisheries assistance funding provided by Sec. 12005 of the CARES Act to states, tribes and territories with coastal and marine fishery participants who have been negatively affected by the novel coronavirus pandemic. Under the act, North Carolina’s commercial fishermen will receive $5,460,385.

U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said the relief package will support America’s fishermen and the seafood sector’s recovery.

“Thank you President (Donald) Trump, (U.S. Treasury) Secretary (Steven) Mnuchin and our congressional leaders of both parties for your work to pass the historic legislation that is bringing much needed relief to America’s fishermen,” Mr. Ross said. “This administration stands with the men and women working to provide healthy and safe seafood during this uniquely challenging time, while our U.S. fisheries work to continue to support 1.7 million jobs and to generate $200 billion in annual sales. The nation is grateful to our fishermen for their commitment.”

Read the full story at Carolina Coast Online

$50 million in fishing, shellfish industry assistance funds secured

May 13, 2020 — A $50 million support package is in place for Washington’s non-tribal fishing and shellfish industries, members of the state’s congressional delegation announced last week.

“Thousands of fishermen around the Pacific Northwest are feeling the impacts of restaurant, fishing, and tourism season closures due to covid-19 and the loss of seafood sales. Due to the unique nature of fishing businesses, many have been left without federal assistance until now,” U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell said in a press release. “Having $50 million coming to Washington state fishermen in grants and other direct assistance will provide much-needed money to fishing businesses to keep them a part of our maritime economy.”

The funding comes from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for states, tribes and territories with coastal and marine fishery participants who have been negatively affected by covid.

“The outbreak of covid-19 has put an incredible strain on Southwest Washington businesses, causing severe economic losses for our coastal fishing and shellfish industries,” U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler said. “I was pleased to help secure this funding for our coastal fishermen and shellfish growers to provide a level of certainty that will help them tread water until their businesses are back up and running.”

Read the full story at the Chinook Observer

FLORIDA: Funding process for Keys fishermen slowly unfolds

May 13, 2020 — Both commercial and for-hire fishermen in the Florida Keys hit hard by the economic shutdown spurred by the novel coronavirus may apply to receive a portion of $23.6 million allocated to the state through the CARES Act Stimulus.

Of the $300 million slugged for federal fisheries’ assistance, Florida is to receive about 12.7%, or the fourth largest share behind Alaska, Washington and Massachusetts.

While Capt. Bill Kelly, executive director of the Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen’s Association, says the Keys fisheries have been slighted, he remains optimistic about the upcoming lobster season.

“This pales in comparison to what was made available to the agriculture and livestock industries, but this is what we have to work with,” he said Monday. “We have a lot to be concerned over. It was the importance of the Keys fishermen that helped us out [in Monroe] of the 2008 recession fairly well. We could have the same rebound if we, in fact, maintain a strong fishery. We export 80% of live lobster to China, and when that fishery reopens on Aug. 6, we don’t know what the market in China will be. We’re hoping for a strong market.”

NOAA will administer the funds through the interstate marine fisheries arms. For here, that’s the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, which will, in turn, contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to identify and establish a plan for fishermen to apply for funds.

Read the full story at Florida Keys News

VIRGINIA: Northam administration says federal fisheries relief ‘falls woefully short’

May 12, 2020 — Virginia’s waters are unusually still this spring.

Ordinarily, May 1 is the start of the charter boat season, a day that sees convoys of boats head out from the ports of coastal Virginia for deeper waters where fish are sought by daytrippers. By then, crabbing and oystering, which usually begin in March, are in full swing. So are the commercial fisheries, many of which operate year-round.

Not so this year. Like so many other industries, fisheries, whether commercial or recreational, have been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. And while U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross on Thursday announced $300 million in relief funding for fisheries around the nation, Virginia’s top natural resources official says the state’s $4.5 million allocation is nowhere near enough to stem the tide of losses.

“This funding falls woefully short of even beginning to address the devastating impacts fisheries and aquaculture businesses have suffered due to COVID-19,” said Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources Matt Strickler in a statement. “The fishing industry in Virginia supports thousands of jobs and generates millions in revenue. The administration must release more funding to help our coastal communities and businesses.”

Read the full story at The Virginia Mercury

Sen. Reed Wants a Fresh Take on Federal Relief Efforts to Feed Families and Help Farmers & Fishermen

May 12, 2020 — The following was released by The Office of Senator Jack Reed (D-RI):

Due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Rhode Island’s farmers, fishermen, and food industry are all facing widespread market disruption and hungry families in need require additional nutritional assistance.

In an effort to assist Rhode Island’s families, farmers, fishermen and food producers, U.S. Senator Jack Reed recently helped secure federal funding — including $3,294,234 for Rhode Island fishermen and $222,750 for Farm Fresh Rhode Island.  But Reed says Congress must take additional steps to protect the food supply chain, help families put food on the table, and support family farmers, fishermen, and food workers.

Reed helped include several food-related initiatives in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (Public Law No. 116-136) to help Rhode Island’s agriculture, fishing, and food industries.  Overall, the CARES Act provides roughly $49 billion for food, agriculture, and nutrition assistance related provisions.  This total includes about $24.6 billion for domestic food programs and to help support farmers; nearly $16 billion to bolster nutrition assistance programs; and about $9 billion to enhance child and senior nutrition and fund meal programs for kids outside of school.

“Pandemic or not, people have to eat and farmers and fishermen have to be able to earn a living.  The next disaster relief package must addresses the hardships local and regional food producers are facing and keep the food supply chain steady, healthy, and intact,” said Senator Reed.  “Farmers and fishermen are resilient, but everyone has their breaking point, and without additional federal assistance, a lot of family farms and fishing boats could be forced to go under.  As food banks feed more families, the federal government can step up and ensure they are purchasing fresh, local produce, seafood, and dairy products at a fair price.  We are a bountiful country, and no American should be forced to go hungry because of this pandemic.”

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), nearly 38 million Americans participated in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in 2019, receiving an average monthly benefit of approximately $1.40 per person per meal.  In Rhode Island, over 140,000 residents are eligible for SNAP and Senator Reed helps direct about $244 million annually in federal funding to the state to help feed Rhode Islanders.  According to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank’s annual Status Report on Hunger, the average household SNAP benefit in Rhode Island is $223 per month.

Read the full release here

Western Pacific Council calls on Trump to ease fishing restrictions in the Pacific marine monuments

May 12, 2020 — A regional fishery management council sent a letter to U.S. President Donald Trump late last week urging his administration to ease limitations on fishing in the nation’s Pacific marine monuments, saying the restrictions hinder American tuna fishing.

The letter, penned by Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council Chair Archie Taotasi Soliari and Executive Director Kitty Simonds, was dated Friday, 8 May, a day after the administration released details of how it would allocate the USD 300 million in funding to the seafood industry from the CARES Act. At the same time, White House officials held a call with fishery management officials to discuss other aspects of Trump’s executive order that outlined improving the country’s competitiveness as a seafood producer, a key economic policy for the administration since it came into office more than three years ago.

Read the full story at Seafood Source